scarlet letter

noun

: a scarlet A worn as a punitive mark of adultery

Examples of scarlet letter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) took particular exception to Vietnam being branded with a scarlet letter, indicating that an investigation could lead to higher footwear costs. Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 1 May 2026 The digital scarlet letter means a Google search ensures your worst mistake is the first thing an employer or landlord sees. Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026 So the government has labeled the company a supply-chain risk, effectively plastering it with a scarlet letter. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026 The drug war swept like fire through barangays, where any stray remark could earn you the scarlet letter of the Philippine National Police. Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scarlet letter

Word History

Etymology

from such a letter in the novel The Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scarlet letter was in 1850

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scarlet letter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarlet%20letter. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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